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B−

Lavaca Public Schools

Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 3 towns

Serves Barling, Lavaca and Central City.

Barling’s School Grade B− better than 52% of Arkansas school districts

Students
801
Schools
3
Spent per student
$12,750
AR $13,585
Students per teacher
7:1
Free or reduced lunch
50%
Debt
$11M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Lavaca Public Schools

  • Its letter, B−: results better than 50% of Arkansas districts
  • Graduation rate 5 pts above the state
  • Spends 6% less per student than the AR average
  • 7 students per teacher
  • Enrollment down 5.4% since 2020–21
  • Debt of $11M, about $13,788 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

B−: better than 50% of the 261 Arkansas school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math below the state, 2021–22
B−
The towns it serves, and their School Grades
B−Barling 5,452B−Lavaca 2,528Central City 469

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Barling. Grade by grade →

PK–5Barling Elementary SchoolFort Smith Public Schools
6–85 middle schoolsFort Smith Public Schools
9–123 high schoolsFort Smith Public Schools

Test scores vs. AR

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency35%
State average 38.3% · 499 students tested
Reading / language arts38%
State average 39.9% · 499 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)90–100%
State average 89.9% · 54 in the class · small group: the state reports a range

100% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$12,750 per student · 6% below AR
Spending
Classroom instruction 58%Support & administration 36%Other 6%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 16%State 74%Federal 10%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
847’20
853’21
837’22
784’23
801’24

Down 5.4% since 2020–21.

Students
White 83%Two or more races 9%Hispanic 5%American Indian/Alaska Native 2%Asian <1%Black <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

3 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Arkansas’s other public schools.

Lavaca Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–4 · Lavaca
A−
322 students16:1
Lavaca Middle School
Middle · Grades 5–8 · Lavaca
B−
234 students13:1
Lavaca High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Lavaca
B−
245 students4:1

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

Fort Smith Public SchoolsFort Smith
$13,857per student
Greenwood School DistrictFort Smith
$11,668per student

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within Arkansas.